Himalayan Cataract Project names new CEO
Sept. 10, 2022 | By Waterbury Roundabout 
Katherine G. "K-T" Overbey starts as CEO at Himalayan Cataract Project on Oct. 4. Courtesy photo
The Himalayan Cataract Project announced it has named Katherine G. Overbey as its new chief executive officer.
Overbey starts in the position on Oct.4, according to the Waterbury-based nonprofit that works to cure preventable blindness, provide high-quality eye care, and cultivate local, sustainable eye care systems in more than 20 under-served countries around the world.
“We are thrilled to welcome K-T to the Himalayan Cataract Project. We trust that she will steer HCP into our next phase of innovation in global eye care with her diligence, integrity, and visionary leadership,” said Dr. Geoff Tabin, company co-founder and chair.
Having served as the president and executive director of OneSight for four years, Overbey is uniquely qualified to assume this role having led a global team in providing comprehensive eye exams and eyeglasses to underserved communities around the world. During her tenure, OneSight expanded its vision centers from 85 to 219, providing permanent access to vision care for an additional 31 million people, according to HCP.
Overbey said she is looking forward to continuing her work at Himalayan Cataract Project. “I am truly honored and excited to be joining the HCP team. I have seen firsthand the power of helping people to see, and I am passionate about continuing to work toward a world where no one is held back by preventable blindness,” she said. “The impact that HCP has already made around the world is impressive, and I look forward to working together to continue to make a difference in the lives of others.”
Prior to her work at OneSight, Overbey served in executive roles of increasing responsibility at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Procter & Gamble, and Bain & Company. She graduated from Princeton University, where she received her AB with a concentration in International Politics. She also holds an MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
Katherine G. "K-T" Overbey provides eyeglasses to a young patient at a OneSight charitable clinic. Courtesy photo
Overbey currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and was named one of the “Most Influential Women in Optical” in 2021 by the ophthalmic industry trade publication Vision Monday.
Since its founding in 1995, HCP has performed over 1 million sight-restoring surgeries and provided screening and basic care to over 13 million people. Himalayan Cataract Project is headquartered in Waterbury with additional offices in Norwich, Vermont as well as Silver Spring, Maryland, and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.